Load control devices may be used to control the amount of power delivered from a power source, such as an alternating-current (AC) power source, to one or more electrical loads. An example of such a load control device is a wall-mounted dimmer switch. Load control devices may be integrated into home automation systems.
Home automation systems, which have become increasing popular, may be used by homeowners to integrate and/or control multiple electrical and/or electronic devices in their homes. For example, a homeowner may connect devices such as appliances, lights, blinds, thermostats, cable or satellite boxes, security systems, telecommunication systems, and the like to each other via a wireless network.
The homeowner may control such devices using a central (e.g., automated) controller, a dedicated remote control device (e.g., a wall-mounted keypad), a user interface provided via a phone, tablet, computer, or other device that is directly connected to a home network or remotely connected via the Internet, and so on. These devices may communicate with each other and/or with a control device, for example to improve efficiency, convenience, and/or usability of the devices.
Dedicated remote control devices, such as wall-mounted keypads, may be manufactured to be aesthetically pleasing. For example, wall-mounted keypads may include faceplates and buttons made of metal, glass, or other materials to lend the keypads a luxury aesthetic when compared to traditional plastic keypads. However, the manufacture of such keypads may be problematic. For instance, in the case of metallic buttons, indicia are typically formed in the buttons using machining processes. However, such machining processes have limitations. For instance, small scale machining processes may be incapable of very fine detail, which may lead to undesirable aesthetics in the indicia, and/or may introduce inaccuracies or inconsistencies into the manufacturing process that reduce yield. Additionally, such machining processes are typically time intensive, which may impact manufacturing costs and capacity.